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When you go out, look at the people around you. Don't they look
like they're in a hurry to get somewhere? When you ask your
friends out for a gathering, do you often get, "Sorry, I've got
an appointment, or I've a meeting on that day"? Many people are
chronically busy nowadays. They all have the compulsion to be
successful as fast as possible. And to achieve that, they figure
they have to compress five years of work into one, by moving
five times faster! So they rush - developing a hard-nosed edge,
sacrificing personal time and relationships, to get as much done
as they can. But despite their earnest and wholehearted attempt
to be successful, they often waste their effort because they
lose their sense of direction - focusing on the trees, but
failing to notice the forest - they end up running in circles.
If you don't occasionally stop running and look up at the stars,
how will you know which way is North? (Don't tell me you have a
compass.) In real terms, this means you have to set some time
everyday to stop, and reflect.
· What do I value in life? · What does success mean to me? · Has
what I've done today brought me closer to my life's goal? · How
do I get from where I am, to where I want to be?
Yes, these questions require you to think deep; do some
soul-searching. But when you have the answers, your mind will be
clear. It's like driving a car with a clean windscreen... you
can see where you're going! I suggest you clean your windscreen
every night by taking time to reflect. That way, your VISION
will be as sharp as can be. Everyone needs a Vision - that vivid
mental image of what you'd like to Be, Do, and Have in life.
Without it, we can't see which way we're headed. And the only
way to develop it is to pause, reflect, think deep, and search
your soul.
*The Love of Having*
Have you heard of Retail Therapy? Women love it. It's the idea
that you can go shopping, buy something you like, and it will
make you feel good about yourself. In the Be-Do-Have model,
buying stuff is obviously in the HAVING stage. People
subconsciously feel that having more stuff, will make them
become who they want to be (Have>>Be). But the sad part is, only
the reverse is true. Being who you want to be, will lead you to
having what such a person has (Be>>Do>>Have).
Many people are using the Retail Therapy model to feel
successful. They scamper to earn as much money as they can, then
they splurge it on a lavish lifestyle - fast car, high-class
dining, luxurious apartment, hot nightspots, and exotic
traveling. All these luxuries and status symbols are suppose to
help them BE somebody... But unless they already know who they
are on the inside, they often end up being nobody. Luxury rich,
but cash poor. These people have spent all their money on the
toys. They will never get rich because they have none left over
to invest. We all know that you MUST use the money you
accumulate to buy assets which produce residual income, if you
are EVER going to achieve wealth and financial freedom.
As we rush through our day, making money and spending lavishly,
in a race to be successful, perhaps we can realize that all it
takes... is one diagnosis of a critical illness, one lawsuit
that bankrupts you, or the death of a loved one, to shift your
values in life. Suddenly the stuff you have isn't important
anymore... You'd gladly give it all away to get back your
health, to shelter your family, or to share more time with your
loved one.
All a dying man wants is to be well again. All a homeless man
wants is good food and a warm place to sleep at night. And all a
grieving man wants, is to have spent more time with his loved
ones. Don't let this happen to you. Slow down, pause, and
reflect. Figure out what's important to you in life. Then spend
more time doing what's important, rather than following the
masses - being busy everyday; chasing an imaginary shopping list
of what it takes to be successful. Remember... better to walk
slowly in the right direction, than to dash madly all over the
place.
About the author:
Lance Ong is a Licensed Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming
and Master Practitioner of Hypnotherapy and Timeline Therapy. He
does life coaching to help clients gain clarity of purpose,
while removing mental blocks to success. Learn Lance's
philosophy for better living at his Internet Blog Site - "Wisdom
to Create a Beautiful World" - www.lancism.com
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